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Monthly Archives: November 2016

In the two and a half year tenure of Narendra Modi, the Opposition has got its best chance to take on his government. With no apparent major scam at national level and no major communal riot, as Opposition feared if Modi comes to power, demonitisation gave the much needed teeth to the shattered Congress. It appears the Congress and other parties are thinking that they will not get any other major issue to take on the Modi government before 2019. No wonder, the BJP’s claim that the ‘Opposition is running away from debate’ on currency withdrawal is finding more takers from the public. As people’s difficulties are easing following availability of new Rs 500 notes, the ongoing ruckus in the Parliament has threatened to be a counterproductive exercise for the so-called united Opposition.

While the Opposition is already exposed on its strategy of focussing only on the present difficulties of the historic ‘surgical strike’ on black money and counterfeit notes, it has not been consistent on its various claims. Some are criticising Modi’s mother being on the queue as a publicity stunt – little doubt it isn’t – Rahul Gandhi and Kejriwal were also seen in the queues in the bank. In an extreme, Rahul Gandhi accompanied by SPG personnel goes to the bank to exchange Rs 4000. And he says, ‘do you see any people with black money here… (which means) only common people are affected (by standing in the lines)’. Does he mean his is a common man too. Obviously, people with black money would not queue in the bank. They would depute someone, which Rahul can do as well. The Opposition is accusing the BJP of informing its ‘near and dear ones’ in advance so that they can turn their black money into white before the ‘surgical strike’. On the other hand, it is also claiming that PM Modi was dictatorial and did not consult even his cabinet colleagues! Finance minister Arun Jaitley admitted that only a few were privy to the move, which was taking shape for over past six-seven months.

Some Opposition parties like the Samajwadi Party went to the extent of proposing debate in the Parliament before taking such major decision. Even a common man can understand that the SP proposition is ludicrous. Let alone a debate in Parliament, if Modi announced the decision a few hours earlier, hundreds of crores of black money would have been legalised the same day! Nobody would have seen bags full of money thrown in garbage dumps, streams and rivers. In all, it seems the Opposition is fighting a lost game. The more it fought this battle, it is going to hurt its image further.

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on November 26, 2016)

A newly-joined BJP leader in Meghalaya reminded that Congress once used to tell the people that they should vote the party as it is in power at the Centre. This was the Congress mantra in all the hill states born out of Assam following decades-long conflicts with Congress-led governments, both at the Centre and state of Assam. There were regional outfits that led the struggle for independent states and successfully installed their governments. But Congress took over everywhere selling the slogan of same party governments at Centre and state. It’s very easy to convince people about greater benefits coming to the state if there is same Congress party government in the state as well.

A similar feeling is creeping into the minds of the people in hilly region if the result of recent bye-election in Assam is anything to go by. While the BJP was set to retain the Lakhimpur Lok Sabha seat vacated by chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, the margin of victory for Pradan Baruah, nearly two lakh votes, is significant. The huge margin is despite the hue and cry raised by pressure groups and political parties against the current BJP government’s alleged attempt to grant citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshi migrants. The result of bye-election to Baithalangso constituency in Karbi Anglong is an indication of the people buying the same argument being sold by Congress for decades. With this victory, the BJP has brought all the four assembly seats of Karbi Anglong into its kitty.

Meghalaya, especially Jaintia Hills, is adjacent to Karbi Anglong. There is a similarity in politics of Karbi Anglong and Meghalaya, both known for political instability. The Baithalangso winner Dr Mansing Rongpi, in fact, won the seat on Congress ticket early this year. Not surprisingly, with all three other seats going to BJP and the party in power in state and Centre as well, he shifted allegiance to the saffron brigade and won the seat again. The state assembly election is just a little over a year away. If Modi government’s demonetisation move does not prove to be a historic blunder in the coming months, and if more and more leaders shifting allegiance to BJP is any indication, the 2018 elections will not be a cakewalk for the Congress, nor any regional party.

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on November 25, 2016)

Even the staunch supporters of Modi and his government are finding it difficult to explain the circulation of Rs 2000 notes, as an ‘answer’ to black money. Every opposition leader and public aggrieved with the demonetisation move has questioned the introduction of Rs 2000 notes. If at all the Modi government wants to fight the black money, then why introduce a high value currency, which is easier to hoard. One of the weak arguments the government has been is that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) originally wanted Rs 5000 and Rs 10000 notes to contain inflation. It was the government that took a call and instead stuck to Rs 2000 only. However, for common people, who are standing firm behind the government’s move, it is hard to dispel the claim that Rs 2000 notes will lead to more hoarding and black money.

The Rs 2000 notes are almost useless. In day-to-day life, a common man hardly makes any transaction even to get the change of Rs 1000 before it was banned. Yet, it was easier for the shopkeeper to give the change for Rs 1000 because of the presence of Rs 500 notes. The shopkeeper had to spare less Rs 100 notes while giving change for Rs 1000. Now, if a person buys something worth Rs 150 and has only Rs 2000 note, the shopkeeper is very unlikely to be able to return 18 hundred rupee notes plus one Rs 50. But the situation might ease in coming days as the RBI has pushed a huge number or Rs 100 and Rs 20 notes into the banking system.

Another explanation of printing Rs 2000 notes instead of new Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes is a bit technical. Had there been new Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, a person having black money would go to the bank with a small fraction of his money, pay the tax and deposit it. At the same time, he would withdraw new money and come another day with another fraction of his old black money. Then it would be difficult for the bank to verify the dates of each and every note. In the process, a lot of black money would be legalized. To avoid this black-to-white money conversion, the government avoided printing new Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes. Although Rs 500 note has been unveiled, it is yet to reach the ATMs. However, it seems this ‘puzzle’ of printing Rs 2000 notes while removing Rs 1000 and Rs 500 from circulation as a move to fight black money is not totally solved. The government might have some other arguments up its sleeve and would not disclose it now, fearing backlash from public and tax evaders finding means to escape the net.

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on November 19, 2016)

While the government and banks are going their bit – albeit with shortcomings – to ease the cash crunch, public behaviour has been excellent. Most people have shown their patience by queuing up in lines for hours to get a few thousand. Extraordinary scenes like public sector banks offering tea to their customers and chairs for those queuing outside could be seen these days. The public is equally responsive. Everyone is complaining about not getting enough cash and having to stand in the queue for hours, days. At the same time, most of them admit they expect something good is going happen in the long run.

Now Prime Minister Modi has asked for 50 days to prove that what he has done was for the country only. This is a calculated risk his government is taking. It will be wrong to say ‘his government’ as it seems very few in the government were in the know of it. Even the cabinet ministers were not allowed to carry their mobile phones to the meeting held prior to Modi’s landmark announcement to the nation on demonetization decision on November 8 night. They were not allowed to move out until Modi’s address to the nation was over. So, at this juncture, no question could be raised on the sincerity and intent behind the decision.

Everyone is now saying about bad implementation of a good decision. But a move, which has upset the daily lives of crores of common people, could probe a bane for the nation as a whole. And it also might be discovered later that the decision was implement in the best possible manner. Had it been a cakewalk for common people to get the money without any pain, the same would have been the case with those against whom this mammoth step is taken. Modi would not have been criticised now, but he would be blamed for a ‘historic blunder’. The same opposition parties would have told people that how incompetent Modi to let go the money hoarders, despite the demonetisation. The best thing parties and people can do now is to have patience for a couple of months and let’s see what fruits this historic move bore for the nation.

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on November 18, 2016)

The demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes have sent the entire nation into a tizzy. The commoners got some problem – some of them serious. Suppose an accident victim is lying in the ICU of a private hospital and his or her relatives collected Rs 1 lakh from relatives and well-wishers for treatment. The family certainly has a bank account, but they like many others have balance in the account. There is nobody else to help with queuing in the bank to deposit the money and get new currency notes. And they don’t maintain a cheque book like many other lower and low middle class families. However, the breather in these cases is that pharmacies have been asked to accept the notes till November 11 midnight. Most ATMs were not working on November 11 and many people became penniless. Due to the lack of cash people preferred cheaper mode of conveyance, and taxis and autos are suffering losses.

A large section of the people is dissatisfied with the Modi government’s decision. But another large section is satisfied and ready to face the inconveniences for a few days. Interestingly, many people are panicky not because of having black money but due to sheer ignorance. Despite knowing the December 30 deadline to deposit the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, they are in the queues right from the night of November 8 when the Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the historic announcement. But, there are people even in the queues welcoming the decision. It looks like common people who understood the reason of the decision has not opposed the move.

There is great implication of the move on political parties especially when three states – Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur – are going to elections next year. Frustration of some parties is quite evident and they could not even maintain a particular stand on the issue. Seasoned Congress leaders like Randeep Surjewala and Gulam Nabi Azad wanted the government to “give time” to the people (money horders?) before going ahead with such move, although party leader P Chidambaram welcomed it with a rider. Mamata Banerjee went ahead claiming that this step was taken to destroy her party Trinamool Congress! Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Singh Yadav wanted a debate in the Parliament! But his party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia hailed the decision, but with small riders. Mayawati, known for her being garlanded with Rs 1000 notes, too went berserk accusing BJP of perking funds abroad before going ahead with demonetisation. Now, it’s for everyone to see who’s got the real problem!

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on November 12, 2016)

A month after attack in PoK, India carried out another ‘surgical strike’, this time on its own soil. Demonetising Rs 500 and R 1000 notes from the economy without anybody having inkling is certainly a surgical strike. While the surgical strike in PoK on September 29 did not direct affect on most Indians, the impact of the latter is immense in the country. Unlike the PoK attack, nobody is asking proof of the ‘strike’ this time! It’s so evident and the motive clear.

The Modi government has been a stronger campaigner against black money than any governments in the past. The Rs 1000 note was first demonetised by the then Janata Party government in 1978, but very few people would be having that note then. The masses were not impacted by withdrawal of that currency note. On the other hand, even the poorest man is not unlikely to possess Rs 500 or Rs 1000 note nowadays. Withdrawing these notes is certainly a very very bold decision. It even might come at the cost of BJP’s political fortunes in the next UP assembly elections, which would perhaps decide Modi’s fate in 2019.

The Prime Minister said in his televised address to the nation after 8 pm on November 8 that the decision might cause inconveniences to the public and that they should bear it for a greater cause. The skeptics need to be reminded again and again about the objective of the move, to prevent them from ranting the ‘sufferings’ of common people. If people behave maturely and smartly, the banks and ATMs need not see such long queues. Let the initial days be given to only those who need money urgently. There is still time till December 30. And if the queues remain till then, the government might consider extending the date further. The worries are for only the black money hoarders. This is a unique situation of a poor person having reason to be happy!

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on November 11, 2016)

Electrocution deaths are common in North-east. Most of them are forgotten as ‘unfortunate’ incidents. The criminal neglect behind such mishaps is often ignored. The government and authorities concerned end their responsibility by paying some compensation to the victim families. For six lives lost including five minor children at Mawphlang near Shillong, Rs 6 lakh was announced as ex gratia. The compensation is clearly meagre, but what is totally absent is an inquiry. It is alleged that the authorities ignored complaints from the family about sparks in the meter box that connects the main supply line. And the mishap occurred almost wiping out an entire family!

In this instance, the ill-fated house was all made of tin, a good conductor of electricity! As soon as one point of the wall (?) got in contact with electricity, the whole house became electrified. Repeat such tragedy cannot be ruled out as poor people in Meghalaya use the cheap tin, mostly recycled from edible oil containers, for making houses. The mistake made by the linesman in this case was that he fixed the meter box directly into the tin wall, and not on a wood plank as commonly used. There might be another linesman making the same mistake unless the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Ltd (MeECL) takes notice of the loophole.

The debt-ridden MeECL perhaps cannot even think of holding awareness programmes for its field personnel. If at all they are taught about anything is how to make the consumer pay for the electricity. Expecting MeECL to make aware the consumers about the safe use of electricity is perhaps a wild imagination. But, if not MeECL, who will do it? Lives cannot be allowed to be lost like this! The electricity distribution company (discom) cannot expect that all the consumers will get their own knowledge about electricity. Being in the business, it’s the discom’s responsibility to ensure safety of consumers and common people from electricity-related mishaps. Besides ensuring safe electrification of the houses, the discom must erect solid barriers around all high-voltage installations like transformers. It’s time discoms like MeECL came out of its old school and be professional in owning up such mishaps and take remedial measures.

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on November 5, 2016)

If Amitabh Bachchan is Big B of Bollywood, Arnab Goswami can be called the Big G of Indian electronic media. Love or hate him, you cannot ignore him. There will be hardly any news viewers in the country – even if they hardly tune in to English news channels – not knowing the name ‘Arnab’. Many even watch the English news, to be precise Times Now, only to watch Arnab. They don’t bother what is the topic of discussion. A busy person like Mukesh Ambani has admitted on NDTV that he used to watch the ‘greatest anchor’ at 9. Name any politician – national, state or even district level – who does not know him. Everybody has an opinion about this news anchor. Most of them feel strongly in favour or against him. India has never witnessed such huge following of a media person. It’s seen only in case of politicians, not anybody else.

Arnab’s reported resignation – he has not admitted openly yet – is the biggest news of Indian media about the media, or rather a media person. There are reports of his plans for launching an international media organisation based in India. In fact, he gave clear hint about his big plans in a couple of platforms. In a discussion of Russia Today last year featuring him among four other penalists, Arnab rued the ‘western hegemony’ over the world media and advocated for creating a balance by launching a platform from country like India. Obviously, the Indian penalist was the centre of attraction of the entire discussion, although the anchor jokingly reacted to a typical pinching remark from Arnab as ‘I heard you were a shy and retiring person’. At a Confederation of India (CII) event, Arnab was seen seeking ‘support’ from journalists and others for making India the world’s media capital.

By quitting Times Now, which already set a benchmark for Indian media – right or wrong – changing the way news anchors behave with penalists, Arnab has raised the expectation level much higher. It remains to be seen whether the noisiest anchor will raise the decibel level on a different screen very soon or he would go into hibernation to do the ground work before coming up with a Big Bang!

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on November 4, 2016)

The Dalai Lama is set to hog media once again. The stage was set for the controversy the day his office confirmed the visit of His Holiness to Arunachal Pradesh in March next year. The Nobel Laureate’s accepting the request of the new chief minister Pema Khandu to visit Arunachal is great news for the mountainous state. At the same time, till his visit, there will be comments and counter comments from Indian and Chinese sides. However, as it happens always, everything will pass on smoothly except for the noises made from both sides.

China has always considered Arunachal Pradesh as a disputed territory. Before the British occupation, most parts of the region had more affiliation towards Tibet than the valley of Assam. This is the basic spirit of the Chinese claim over the territory. But, can China take this territory in future? Or is China really interested in the land? Perhaps no! After 50 years, this dispute might just fizzle out. India’s claim on PoK (‘Azad Kashmir’ in Pakistan), India’s claim on Aksai Chin (part of Xinjiang autonomous region of China) and Chinese claim on South Tibet (Arunachal Pradesh) are all perhaps going to be history as people start realising futility of such claims. The diplomatic tussle over these regions will however not end till the political class continue believing that they would lose votes once they stop making such claims.

Dalai Lama is revered in Tawang region which is part of the Tibet region, ethnically and culturally quite different from the rest of China. It is there where the spiritual leader first took refuge after fleeing his palace following the threat of being detained by Chinese occupying forces in 1959. He has every reason to visit Arunachal Pradesh. China’s problem is that visit of a personality like Dalai Lama, who has an Indian passport, makes its claim over the territory weaker. No wonder the Red giant had recently objected to US ambassador to India Richard Verma’s visit to the Himalayan state. This will go on until the priorities of the nations change for something else. Sooner the better.

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on October 29, 2016)

The power situation is likely to be worse this winter. If not anything else, the water level in Umiam is a difference. There is at least a difference of 30 feet between the water levels of this October and last year’s. In fact, last year water had to be released from the dam thrice during this period due to incessant rains reaching the highest intake point. The situation is too far from such possibility this year. Besides, there is no headway towards payment of dues to North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) by the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Ltd (MeECL). The government’s assurance to be the guarantor for loan to be taken by the MeECL to pay the dues, nearly Rs 470 crore, has not yielded any result so far.

The load-shedding duration has been half an hour in the heart of Shillong city for over a month, barring the Durga Puja festival days. Besides there used to be irregular power cuts for 10-15 minutes, which could happen due to technical snag, and not necessarily for lack of power. But the situation is not the same in villages just on the outskirts of Shillong. The people in these areas are deprived of power in most part of the day. MeECL’s first priority might be to quell the angry voices in Shillong. Even the ‘small noises’ made from Shillong is heard from across the state because of the strong media presence. On the other hand, acute sufferings of a villager can hardly reach the media and the authorities concerned. Presence of high profile people, including those from MeECL, ‘compels’ the Corporation to push most of the burden to rural populace.

Due to the very low water level and ever increasing power consumption, the MeECL is likely to have to buy maximum power from outside this time. But as the Corporation is already in neck-deep debt with NEEPCO and other entities, for sure, it cannot meet the demand this winter even in the city. The only way out is heavy power cut. Shillong must prepare for it.

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on October 28, 2016)